The room was unlit.
The glow from the computer screen illuminated his face.
It made his pale, grim visage even more apparent, his eyes filled with a deep, brooding shadow.
If he continued now, if he attacked that core program.
The technology painstakingly developed by the Wang family would fall into his hands.
If he just pushed forward a little further...
The Ming family would be saved.
Ming Yanlun closed his eyes in pain once more.
All along, he had believed himself to be an envoy of justice, standing on the side of righteousness, choosing this path to uphold it.
But in the end.
To this day, he hadn't done anything to use his abilities to uphold justice.
And now...
He sat before a computer.
Using his keyboard.
Typing line after line of illegal code.
Once, this was the very thing he disdained and found beneath him.
This was why he used to look down on the dark web moderator, "z," believing that the dark web's existence was solely for hackers to use their abilities for unrighteous deeds.
He even thought that "z" of the dark web had subtly turned all hackers into mercenaries, selling out their skills for money.
He called that base.
He called that willful degradation.
He saw himself as the only pure stream among hackers, possessing the aloofness of a true hacker.
This was why he had repeatedly challenged "z," wanting to defeat him and dethrone him from his position as the dark web moderator, the king of hackers.
He wanted all hackers to understand the value of their abilities, to be gods looking down upon all netizens from on high.
Everything had gone contrary to his wishes.
Ultimately, for the sake of his family, he had to become the person he detested the most.
He hoped...
No one would discover that the renowned young genius of the hacker world, "yL," was him.
He hoped...
That in the hacker community, he could at least retain a sliver of dignity.
This was the first time.
And it would absolutely be the last.
Ming Yanlun clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white and blue.
He suddenly opened his eyes.
His hands returned to the keyboard.
He stared intently at the Wang family's program.
His fingers, slowly, yet with an air of no retreat...
Pressed the confirmation key.
Confirming—
The cracking of the Wang family's core program!
But, the very next second...
"Beep—Beep!"
A piercing alarm sound echoed in his ears.
Ming Yanlun's pupils widened abruptly, and his fingers on the keyboard froze.
He shot to his feet.
His eyes fixed on his screen.
The screen, which had been displaying the Wang family's core system, began to flash erratically.
Then.
With a "beep," it abruptly disconnected.
Ming Yanlun slumped back into his chair, his entire body rigid and tense, his hands resting on either side of the keyboard, his eyes seeming to bulge outwards.
Gone!
The program he had so painstakingly infiltrated.
Just like that, it was gone?
He had been discovered by the Wang family, and they had counterattacked?
No!
This wasn't an attack from the Wang family!
His computer was protected by a firewall he himself had written, equivalent to a net cast across the digital realm.
If the Wang family's cybersecurity had counterattacked.
There was no way they could have so easily interrupted his intrusion in such a short amount of time!
Who was it?
Who on earth could it be?!
Cold sweat trickled down Ming Yanlun's forehead.
The fear consuming him made his heart constrict uncontrollably.
The unknown future was the most terrifying.
If the opponent wasn't the Wang family's cybersecurity.
Then it must be a third party.
A third party...
Friend or foe?
If they caught him...
Wouldn't he be exposed?
Ming Yanlun's face was pale, sweat pouring down his temples, his breathing rapid.
After staring at his screen for what felt like an eternity, but was in reality just a minute and a half.
He suddenly placed his hands on the keyboard, frantically initiating a counterattack.
No!
He absolutely could not wait to be slaughtered!
He had to at least protect his identity, prevent the other party from realizing it was him who had infiltrated the Wang family's system!
Ming Yanlun typed furiously.
But as each second ticked by.
The sweat on his brow dripped more profusely.
In the end, he was almost completely drained, collapsing weakly onto the back of his gaming chair.
His hands hung limply.
His face was a mask of ashen gray.
Let alone counterattacking.
He couldn't even detect any trace of the opponent.
Moreover...
The opponent was clearly toying with him, like a cat playing with a mouse, luring him forward step by step, only to find nothing there.
Ming Yanlun had always been confident in his skills.
Even with his right hand injured.
It didn't mean that someone on the internet possessed the ability to toy with him like this.
Unless the opponent was...
Ming Yanlun's pupils widened abruptly.
His hands once again rested on either side of the keyboard, his gaze fixed on the program code on the screen that seemed beyond his control.
His lips were pale, his voice hoarse as he uttered a codename—
"z."
It was "z"!
Only "z" could achieve this level!
Only "z" could defeat him so utterly!
Only "z" could leave him utterly defenseless!
If the opponent was "z."
Then it made perfect sense.
Because he had never once won against "z."
Ming Yanlun's body began to tremble slightly.
The expression on his face flickered, changing rapidly.
It was a bizarre mix of tears and laughter.
"z" had made his move.
That meant "z" knew... that it was him attacking the Wang family's system, right?
He had always held himself in high regard.
Seemingly standing at the moral pinnacle of all hackers.
Looking down on everything.
And finding everything beneath him.
But now, after becoming the person he hated the most, he stood before the very person he had once challenged in the name of righteousness for all hackers, the master, "z."
This overwhelming sense of shame threatened to drag him into an even deeper abyss.
The pain and shame made him unable to lift his head.
"Beep—Beep, beep, beep—"
The piercing alarm sound rang out once more.
Ming Yanlun abruptly looked up.
On his computer screen, a line of text suddenly appeared—
【Is this the justice you speak of?】
Ming Yanlun's pupils constricted sharply.
It was "z."
It was truly "z"!
Ming Yanlun's eyes began to sting.
The shame and anger made him raise his hand and slap himself twice.
【You are truly laughable】
On the screen, the text continued to scroll.
Even without seeing the opponent's face, Ming Yanlun could vividly imagine the contempt and mockery on their features.
His eyes burned hotter, his nose tingled, and the overwhelming emotion of pain threatened to engulf him.
His reason was also distorted by the darkness.
With red eyes, his fingers typed rapidly.
【What do you know? You don't understand my pain, my struggle, my inner turmoil! How dare you accuse me?】
【Do I want to do this? Do I want to do this? But... I have no choice, I am not in control!】
【You know nothing, understand nothing, so how can you mock me from your lofty perch?】
He typed at an incredibly fast pace.
The keyboard clattered with each keystroke.
As if he were venting all his emotions.